


Epiphany

by RoseGardenTwilight



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien finally gets a clue, F/M, Heroes gala, Secret Santa, adrienette - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-17 21:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16982403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseGardenTwilight/pseuds/RoseGardenTwilight
Summary: Epiphany: A moment of sudden revelation or insight.Adrien didn’t know how a dress could make such a mess of his feelings but seeing her there standing at the top of the stairs made his heart do somersaults... and not in the “just friends” way.





	Epiphany

**Author's Note:**

> A.n. So I'm posting this early because this weekend I'll be at a convention and I don't know how much time I'll have. My tumblr secret Santa is bhai-kun. I hope you enjoy this as much as I had fun writing it. 
> 
> Another thank you to The Novel Artist who acted as my beta for this project and tore this thing apart pushing me to my limits. 
> 
> Inspiration: So I'm a total theater nerd, and this one-shot is inspired by Granger Danger in A Very Potter Musical. If you love Harry Potter and haven't seen the parody, you totally should.

The second Adrien saw her standing at the top of the stairs, the air was stolen from his lungs in the best way possible. When Marinette said that she was attending the Heroes’ Gala last week, he couldn’t stop grinning. His father sucked any fun out of these events by stressing the importance of being a good host, no doubt expecting him to plaster on a fake smile and partake in boring small talk for hours. She had offered to keep him company, but he turned her down gracefully. The last thing he wanted was to leave her to fend for herself as he bent over backward to fulfill every request asked of him.

He couldn’t deny that disappointment flooded his system at seeing her smile falter. They had grown closer over the past two years; she was one of his best friends, and he didn’t want to let her down. When she informed him that Nathaniel agreed to attend with her, Adrien forced a smile, secretly wishing that _he_ was the one who could have her company. Unfortunately, he had other obligations that weren’t to her. Just as long as she was happy, that’s all that mattered. 

But the moment that he saw her, Adrien realized that wanting her to be happy wasn’t enough. He wanted to be the one who caused her face to split into a grin. The person that she created joyful memories with that wouldn’t fade for months. Late-night talks, strolls through Paris, snuggling close for warmth under a blanket as they watched a movie; all of which described Nino and Alya’s relationship, not the kind he had with Marinette.

Adrien’s denial couldn’t ignore the fact that his heart performed continuous somersaults as he watched her descent down the staircase... and not in a “just friends” kind of way.

He became highly aware of how much sweat his body had produced, especially in his palms. When did it become this uncomfortable in here? Adrien wiped his hands down the side of his pant leg, but even then, it only solved the problem temporarily. They had regained the moisture before she reached the bottom of the stairs.

Adrien found that he could only stare. The red color really complimented her hair. The off-the-shoulder high-low dress showed off her skin to the point he could not tear his eyes away. Of course, her outward appearance only dimmed compared to her inner beauty shining through.

“Adrien!” The way that her face lit up when she caught sight of him made him wish he could stay in that moment forever. His body stiffened when she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. He couldn’t hug back; he would be mortified to get his sweat on something so stunning.

“Are you ok?” Her hot breath tickled the outside of his ear, and he resisted the urge to shiver. Every internal alarm started blaring. It would be just his luck that she could tell that something was wrong. ~~~~

“I feel pretty—I mean, you’re pretty. Not that you’re not always pretty—you are!” He couldn’t stop the word vomit from gushing out no matter how much he willed it. “I hope you have a great night, but Nino needs me!” With that, he bolted through the crowd.

Adrien rushed to his best friend’s side, ignoring the fact that he currently preoccupied in a dance. “Nino, I need your help!” The sheer panic in voice earned him both Nino and Alya’s gazes. ~~~~

“What’s up, dude?”

Normally, he would go into a speech explaining everything he felt at that exact moment. The only thing that caused hesitation was Alya’s presence. Not that she couldn’t be trusted. If his news had to do with anything but Marinette, he wouldn’t give it a second thought.

“Spill it, Agreste,” Alya snipped. “Because I’m not leaving.”  

Adrien knew better than to fight a losing battle, especially to Alya. The girl was sharp and preceptive; it’s what made her such a good journalist. There was no use in trying to hide anything from her.

“I think I might have feelings for Marinette.”

“What?!”

Suddenly, Adrien felt a goldfish in a bowl being scrutinized.

“Wait, what kinds of feelings?”  

Adrien’s mouth dried out, not sure how to respond to Alya’s question.

“I might be falling in love with her.” The flips his heart performed in his chest when interacting with her wasn’t that of friendship. He didn’t get nervous talking to Nino or Chloe. These feelings were in a category that belonged to Ladybug only.

Before tonight.

“That’s so perfect!” Alya’s raised voice caught the attention of a couple of people around her. “All you need to do is tell her, and she’ll swoon into your arms.”

It couldn’t be that easy. Alya hadn’t seen the train wreck of a conversation he attempted to have with Marinette at the beginning of the evening. Adrien doubted if he could ask a simple question like “would you like a drink” let alone confess his newfound feelings.

“I can’t.”

“And why not?”

“She’s Marinette!” Adrien shot back like his reply explained it all. “She’s thoughtful, caring, brave, creative, talented, gorgeous. I don’t stand a chance. The idea that she could be into someone like me is laughable.”

What Adrien hadn’t expected was for Alya to start to swear. “You two are really made for each other. I’ve never met anyone as clueless as you two. How could you not notice?”

His eyebrows knit together. “Notice what?”

“Nuh-uh, Agreste. My lips are sealed. I’m bound to the girl code. You’ll have to figure this one all out on your own.” The second she crossed her arms over her chest, he knew he wouldn’t get any more out of her.

Adrien glanced toward Nino who shook his head.

“But you’re not bound by the girl code!”

“But I _do_ have a girlfriend who would probably kill me if I told you. I made a promise to keep a secret.”

“Some best friend you are,” he huffed quietly.

Alya laughed at the exchange before grabbing Adrien’s shoulders. “Look, Adrien, I don’t have to tell you how special Marinette is. You just listed some qualities that are just a drop in the bucket that makes up her amazing self. If you like her, tell her. Otherwise, it won’t take long for other guys to notice.”

Adrien’s focus drifted until it landed on Marinette. Something clenched within him as he watched her head tilt back in laughter at something Nathaniel said. He fought the urge to go over and steal her attention, but he couldn’t. Nathaniel was her date tonight because Adrien had turned her down.

“I need some air,” he muttered as he made a dash towards the stairs. If he would have been paying more attention, he would have realized that he caught the object of his affection’s attention, a frown playing on her lips.

* * *

 

Contrary to popular opinion, Chloe didn’t care that Nathaniel was there. It couldn’t mean anything. She had gotten over the silly crush long ago and moved on to bigger and better things. The feelings that appeared after she caught him drawing Queen Bee proved to be a fluke. It wasn’t like she actually liked him; it was a result of the conversation that took place where Nathaniel didn’t make her feel useless. That she was an equal part of the team that saves Paris with Ladybug.

Chloe started imagining what it would be like to go out a date. He would take her to a restaurant, and the conversation would linger between her hobbies and his art. She dared to imagine what his lips would feel like after he dropped her off for the night. But whatever feelings that had emerged died when he spent the last year away to study art in New York.

It wasn’t like she didn’t try. Chloe asked her mother if she could join her at her headquarters, just for the chance to run into him on the street. Not that it mattered anyway when the answer she got included laughter and a “maybe next season”. Chloe decided that she couldn’t miss him because if she did, that meant that she cared. Life had taught her that it was better to break hearts than to get your heart broken, so she decided that she was over Nathaniel Kurtzberg the second he got on the plane. Day after day, Chloe ignored the pang in her chest until it faded to numbness.

She had to be over him.

Too bad her heart didn’t listen.

It skipped a beat when she saw him with Marinette at the top of the staircase. It must have been the sugar from the cookie she had eaten. She allowed her eyes to linger over him. Normally, she didn’t approve of long hair on guys, but it suited him so well. The red complimented the black suit, and the pop of color present in his tie was striking on his black shirt. His blue eyes entranced her from across the room, calling to her to come closer.

She had to admit the last year had been good to him.

“Chloe?”

Hearing her name brought her out of whatever stupor that he drew her into. “What is it, Sabrina?” she snipped.

“I just wanted to tell you that when I was going over the guest list, I saw Nathaniel’s name.” ~~~~

“What is it to me? I don’t care.” Maybe one day, her heart would accept it as fact.

“I just thought…” Sabrina’s voice trailed out as her eyebrows knit together. “I mean, with how you had a crush on him last year, I thought you might want to know.”

Chloe fought the urge to scream; that wasn’t who she was anymore. It wouldn’t be right to take out her frustrations on her best friend. “Feelings change, Sabrina,” she spoke curtly. “Nothing will ever happen between the two of us. We fell for each other at the wrong time.”

“But I’m sure if you—"

“Could you get me a drink Sabrina? I’m getting a little parched.” She hadn’t meant to order her around, but Chloe knew that if Sabrina was across the room, the subject of her feelings wouldn’t be discussed. “Thank you,” she added. To Chloe’s relief, Sabrina didn’t question her request and left Chloe with her own thoughts.

 

* * *

 

Adrien had eyed the dessert table several times throughout the evening, waiting for the perfect time to snag some food without the disapproving stare of his father. A chocolate chip cookie caught his eye, and he snatched it before anyone could have stopped him. The chocolate tantalized his taste buds almost earned a delighted groan.

“Adrien?”

The second he heard Marinette’s voice, he froze. When he turned, his cheeks were already ablaze with embarrassment. “Don’t tell my father.”

The word vomit earned an airy laugh in response. “I won’t tell, but the chocolate on your face screams of your guilt.”

Immediately he began pawing his face but kept missing the chocolate smudge.

“Here, let me get rid of the evidence.”

“Are you sure? It would make us partners in crime.”

Marinette ignored his crack, reaching up to brush the chocolate off his cheek _._ “I think I can deal with the consequences of my friend becoming a cookie fiend.”

What Adrien didn’t expect was how even after her fingers left his skin, the small fire from the contact remained. “Would my partner in crime like to dance? We’ll plan your next heist.” Adrien’s eyes wandered over Marinette’s shoulder long enough to see the smug smirk playing Alya’s lips accompanied by a thumbs up. He felt his cheeks heat up again at the thought of Alya trying to be his wing woman.

“Adrien?”

His gaze snapped back to drown in her blue eyes.

“I would love to.”

As he led her out to the floor, all ideas of chewy chocolatey treats dissipated only to be replaced with the question of how he would be able to manage a dance without making a fool of himself.

He had danced with Marinette before. This shouldn’t be different, right? When she guided his hand to her shoulder blades, he swallowed hard, but not because the contact. It was the way she glanced up at him through her bangs. Adrien’s mouth grew dry. He turned into putty when her hand slid into his.

_Breathe, Agreste. It’s just a dance- It’s just a—_

He made the mistake of giving in to the temptation of meeting her blue gaze. He might as well have never danced in his life. The first couple steps, he did nothing but trip over his own two feet.

“Adrien,  _breathe_.”

Her encouragement was all he needed to take the lead within the dance. “Mar, have... have you ever thought you knew how you felt about something, then suddenly, everything was different?” His hands were clammy again, and his heart was running a marathon.

He watched her eyebrows knit together. “You mean like how we felt about Mega Strike 5 until we played it?” Her blue eyes searched his, and Adrien didn’t know how he was going to get through this. Of course, her mind went there; they had a Mega Strike marathon less than two weeks ago. And while she was technically right, what he was hinting towards was much different.

“Kind of,” he said, not wanting to dismiss her guess completely. “But I’m talking about something more important than video games.”

He twirled her, but her widened eyes stayed focused on him. “More?”

The dancing slowed to a halt. Adrien took a breath trying to calm himself. He had only imagined this scenario ten times trying to figure out what he could say so she wouldn’t laugh, even though he knew that she wouldn’t. That was his own insecurity sneaking in. “Have you ever suddenly realized how much a person means to you?”

She had to hear how fast his heart was beating. There was no way she couldn’t. It was the only sound he could hear in his ears.

“Marinette, I”-

“Adrien, I need to speak to you,” Gabriel’s voice cut in.

If he didn’t get this out now, he would lose his nerve. “Just one moment.” ~~~~

“Now, Adrien.”

All Adrien could do was sigh. If he tested his father more, it would only lead to a reprimand later.

He felt a hand squeeze his hand gently. “Go,” Marinette encouraged. “I’ll be fine. I’ll scope out the place for your next cookie heist,” she added with a wink.

Adrien internally groaned. Did she not realize what she was doing to him?

Her hand slid from his, and he wanted nothing more than to grab hold of it. He watched her glide across the floor, leaving him to face his father alone

 

* * *

 

 

“Do you want to dance?” Nathaniel’s question caused her breath to hitch. How did manage to sneak up on her? She was being so vigilant. Even then. she had to remain strong and not allow any lingering, misguided feelings bubble to the surface.

“What about Marinette?” It was common knowledge that the two had come tonight together. The status of their questionable relationship still had her puzzled. If Nathaniel chose to accompany Marinette, why was he asking her?

“I wanted to dance with you.” The way he looked at her shattered any defensive wall and caused her knees to weaken. “Besides,” he continued, nodding in his date’s direction, “There’s someone else she’d much rather dance with.”

Chloe glanced over his shoulder to see Marinette resting her head on Adrien’s shoulder, his arms comfortably wrapped around her waist. “It’s about time,” she laughed softly to herself.

“They have been dancing around each other for years, when they could have been together.” He offered out his hand. Chloe’s eyes flickered down to the invitation and somehow, she knew, he wasn’t just referring to Adrien and Marinette.

“I’d love to,” she softly replied with a smile.  Her heart fluttered as he walked her onto the dance floor. She wouldn’t admit, not even to herself, that she enjoyed this.

“You know this whole dancing thing works better if you let me lead, right?”

His smirk was infuriating, but Chloe relinquished. Immediately, their dance started to flow smoother.

 “I heard you went to New York. How was that?” Chloe’s usual harsh tone was replaced by a softer one that she blamed on the butterflies in her stomach. Instead of pushing the feeling down, she allowed it to flourish. ~~~~

“It was an experience. America is so different. I learned a lot, but I’m thankful to be home.”

She didn’t know why his eyes twinkled at the word, but warmth spread through her.

“Did you meet anyone interesting?” She mentally scoffed at how dumb the question sounded.

His laughter caused heat to rise to her cheeks. “Of course,” he said, a light pink color blooming on his cheeks. Then with a smile, he leaned in closer and whispered, “but no one was able to keep my eye.”

Chloe felt the blood drain from her face. That’s not what she meant, but it was too late to back pedal. “Oh, well that’s too bad.” What else could she say? It would be in bad taste to claim that she was happy that no prospects worked out.

They fell into a silence as they swayed. It was broken with a grunt as Chloe accidentally stepped on his foot.

“Sorry!” she exclaimed. If she didn’t watch herself, she would become as clumsy as Marinette Dupain-Cheng, but considering that he had a thing for her back at lycee, maybe it wasn’t a bad thing.

“It’s not a big deal, Chlo,” he tried reassuring her.

“I’m not just sorry about that.” Her bottom lip curled between her teeth, and she found that she could look anywhere but at her dance partner. She’d had a lot of time over the past year to mull over her actions. The more she thought about it, the more the guilt festered. She never expected to be in a situation where she could redeem herself. “I mean about everything.” Their dance came to a stop by the time she found the strength to look back up at him. “I was so nasty towards you in school. You didn’t deserve any of it.” ~~~~

He gave her a soft smile. “You’re a different person now.”

She blinked blankly in response. How could he possibly know that? Had he kept tabs on her?

“I can tell you’ve changed,” he added. “You wouldn’t have been caught dead dancing with me otherwise.”

She blushed.

“But,” he said with a sparkle in his eye, “if you’re feeling guilty, you could always make it up to me.”

Her brow furrowed as her blue eyes searched his. “How?”

“Dinner. Tomorrow night.” His gaze didn’t waver, and Chloe was almost sure she saw the makings of a smirk.

“But what about New York?” She had heard that he was only supposed to be in town for a couple days. She didn’t want her hopes to grow too high only to fall.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” Nathaniel reached out to push a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

She had never felt so vulnerable and thrilled at the same moment. Her heart reflected it through flutters, and her heart melted into a smile. “Okay.”

“Good. It’s a date.”

 

* * *

 

Adrien glanced around the room, desperate to keep tabs on the whereabouts of Marinette. He couldn’t help but feel responsible for her entertainment; it was an Agreste event, after all. After his father had intercepted him from their dance, he had been completing a host of duties for the last hour when all he wanted was to finish his dance with Marinette.

“Adrien.”

His shoulder’s slumped in dread at his father’s tone. He turned to face him.

“I need you to go and inform the caters that the beverage tables need to be refreshed for guests. Then find the Dupain-Cheng’s and tell them we are ready for their cake creation.”

Before Adrien — could protest, Gabriel slipped into another group, catching on to the small talk within seconds.        

It didn’t take long to find the catering manager and pass off his father’s message. The only upside was he could deliver it with more mercy than Gabriel ever would. Adrien hoped that he could find the Dupain-Chengs before more tasks piled on. Then he may be able to ask Marinette—

“Adrien?”

His feet froze at Marinette’s voice that cut through the music blasting through the speakers.

“Ma-Marinette.” He cursed internally at his sudden inability to say her name. “Are you enjoying the gala?”

What happened to super confident Adrien Agreste? Now, he may as well be a puddle on the floor at the way she smiled. So many questions filled his brain. Had she always tucked the loose strands of hair behind her ear like that? Did she know how cute she was when she bit her lip?

“Everything is so beautiful. Your father really outdid himself this year.” Her hand crossed her body to nervously tug on her other arm. “I think it’s great that Paris is honoring its heroes, but—”

“Sometimes, it’s over the top?”

She nodded. “When put in that situation, any Parisian would step in and do what’s necessary to battle an Akuma. I’m sure Chat Noir and Ladybug don’t do it for the praise. They do it because they love the city.”

A silence fell between the two, not quite awkward, yet far from calming. Adrien found a past time in grinding his shoe into the floor.

“Adrien, are you okay?”

His eyes jerked up to meet hers. “Um, yeah,” he replied lamely. “I just wished the night turned out different, that’s all.”

Her brow knit together. “What would you change?”

The words echoed in his head. He wished that he would have accompanied her that evening despite the duties placed on him. That they would have gotten multiple dances in so that he would never forget the feel of her in arms. He wanted to be the sole source of laughter coming from her lips, to introduce her to the contacts he knew within the fashion industry, any of whom would be lucky to have her. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The pain from Ladybug’s rejections throughout the years surfaced, and he didn’t know if he could handle getting rejected by his best friend, too.

“I wish the DJ were different.” Everything in his body screamed at the lie. “Nino could have the floor moving all night.”

He watched as Marinette’s face fell in... disappointment? “Oh.” By her pitch and lack of words, she clearly expected a different answer. “Well, maybe next year,” she added with a forced smile.

Adrien’s gut twisted uncomfortably. He hated lying, especially to her. This wasn’t a matter pertaining to Chat Noir or the safety of the citizens of Paris. It involved his heart and feelings.

“Well, it’s getting late,” Marinette said, breaking the silence. “I think I’m going to head home. I’ll text you later.”

Adrien’s heart sunk further inside his chest at Marinette’s words. She was leaving so soon? “Okay,” was the only word to exit his mouth.

He watched her walk away.

The second she slipped out the door, his courage finally kicked in. He wove through the crowd on the dance floor as quick as he could. Adrien barely heard his father calling his name, but whatever trivial task or lecture he had could wait. If Adrien stopped now, he would miss her.

The cold night air met him like a friend as he dashed out the door. His green eyes searched the crowd, desperately hoping he wasn’t too late.

Her dress caught his attention “Marinette!” Adrien called out, stopping her from taking another step towards the awaiting taxi. He was sprinting to her before she could even turn around.

“Adrien? What are you—”

“You asked if there was anything I could change about tonight,” he puffed, skidding to a stop in front of her. “I thought of something else that couldn’t wait until next year.”

“Yes?”

“This.” Adrien closed the gap between them, leaning in and pressing his lips to hers.

Her eyes fluttered as she responded. Adrien could feel her arms snake around his neck, prompting him to pull her closer by her hips.

When they separated, his forehead rested on hers and their ragged breaths mingled between them. “Adrien, I…” her voice drifted off as she looked into his eyes.

“I think I’m falling in love with you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” His words tumbled out easily. “And I know you’re my best friend, and I don’t want to ruin that, so if you don’t have any feelings for me, then—Mmph!”

His speech was cut short by Marinette’s lips. This kiss contained more vigor than the last, and Adrien wondered if he would die from his heart exploding with happiness. Because despite the mundane time he had at the ball, he couldn’t think of a better way to end the evening than walking Marinette home hand in hand.

**Author's Note:**

> A.n.- I'm so close to finishing the next chapter of Moments in Time. If I finish and can upload this weekend, I will. Otherwise, it will be on Tuesday. Let me know what you think!


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